


Reddie and Stenbrough One-Shots

by SawyerXT



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Bisexual Bill Denbrough, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Depression, Eating Disorders, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not to Much Benverly, Panromantic Asexual Stanley Uris, Sexual Abuse, Stanley Uris Has OCD, Suicidal Thoughts, maybe smut?, one shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:15:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27081775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SawyerXT/pseuds/SawyerXT
Summary: These are just a bunch of Reddie and Stenbrough One-Shots that I put together. Hope you like them.SEND REQUESTS MY WAY! Put them in the comments section plz! I do almost anything, smut, fluff, etc.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Kudos: 26





	1. Toxic

**Author's Note:**

> *This one-shot contains sexual assault and foul language. It may be a trigger for some people.*

The taller boy smiled sweetly at the freckled one and leaned down to kiss his lips. Eddie glanced up, unsure of what was going on. He didn’t really like the guy in front of him, but he felt imprisoned, way to imprisoned to get out of this now. Cooper was too old -nineteen to be exact- and he knew he couldn’t be in a relationship with him. He didn’t want to either.

“Eddie, how do you feel about sex?” Cooper asked in a soothing voice. Eddie’s face turned a deep red at this thought. Then he shook his head vigorously, looking at his feet to hide his blush that was spreading to the roots of his hair.

“No, I’m only twelve and a half, I can’t. That’s illegal.” The boy looked back up and saw something in Cooper’s eyes. It wasn’t captivating to Eddie, it wasn’t a lustful gaze, it was wicked. It startled Eddie for a minute. Then he grew scared. What if Cooper made a move? What would Eddie do? He was almost half of Cooper’s size and was probably twice as weak, of course, he couldn’t defend himself in any way.

“Aww…” Cooper’s expression continued to go sour, like a milk container that a kid leaves in their locker at the end of the school year. Growing nastier by the minute. “Let’s do it, Eddie”

“No!” Eddie retorted, “I don’t even like you!”

Cooper snapped. He shoved Eddie against the wall, and he hit it with a thud and a sharp cry. Pain bloomed in the back of Eddie’s head.

“What did you just say, you slut?” Cooper growled, his face so close to Eddie’s that he could smell his breath, it was as unpleasant as the look in his eyes. “I think I misheard you. Can you speak up?”

Eddie quivered, burning tears springing up in his eyes. He didn’t want to say anything at all, let alone speak up.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY?” He yelled and then dropped his voice so no one from the street would decide to investigate the alley. “I want you to take those clothes off otherwise I’ll do it for you, and you don’t want that, do you?”

“N-no…” Eddie was so scared that he was nearly pissing his pants.

“Then do it.”

Eddie slowly and shakily pulled his shirt up over his head, being careful not to do anything to upset the man. Cooper was getting impatient, so he thrust his open hand in the terrified boy’s face and cracked his head against the wall again. Without caring to be cautious he pulled a squashed roll of duct tape out of his back pocket and unwrapped a piece, slapping it over Eddie’s mouth and then slapping Eddie. Eddie’s tears spilled down his face and Cooper began to remove the boy’s pants. Then despite the pain in the back of his head, he began to fight. He started to squirm and shove the much taller man away, and he almost did too, but his wrist was caught. Cooper caught his wrist. He was yanked back, and he hit the wall again, this time with more force. Eddie’s asthma kicked in, it made the air whistle as it attempted to get to his lungs, and his vision began to go black. Maybe it would be better just to drift away, go to sleep, that way if he were killed then he would not see it, but an excruciating pain brought him back to reality. Blood began to flow from the side of his neck as Cooper sank his teeth into the soft flesh there. Eddie tried to scream but couldn’t for the tape over his mouth. Then Cooper lifted him up… and used him, then leaving him vulnerable, naked, and shivering in the alley when he was done.

THE NEXT DAY

“Hey, Eddie, what happened to your neck?” Richie asked in alarm. Eddie jumped at the sound of his voice. It was soft. Much softer and more muted than what he was used to last night.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I… uh... got bit by… a small dog.” Eddie sputtered, trying to come up with a response fast enough to fool Richie.  
“It looks like a person bit you.” Rich leaned over to touch it; Eddie quickly jerked away, not wanting to be touched. Richie looked at him curiously. “Why didn’t you clean it like you usually do with any wounds you get?”

“Oh, I guess I forgot,” Eddie mumbled under his breath and looked out at the water trickling through the Kenduskeg. It was moving slowly, but Eddie’s heart was the opposite. His heart was still thundering from the night before. After he was assaulted, Eddie walked home. He didn’t want to go to the police in fear of they wouldn’t believe him… or worse, laugh at him, and he didn’t want to tell his mom because she would instantly go to the cops. He still felt lightheaded from the ordeal, also dirty. Extremely dirty. He took a burning hot shower the night before and another one this morning despite his wound just to try to get rid of the feeling, but nothing worked. He still felt sickeningly nauseating on both the inside and out. It was horrible.

Richie went still for a minute, staring at the water too. Then he began to adjust his position, scooting closer to the boy with the cocoa-colored eyes. Eddie resisted the urge to back away from Richie.

Eddie seemed to look smaller today, more than he ever had before. He also seemed more attractive than ever. The sun was falling through the trees and onto his face, lighting up his eyes a little, making them shine. His hair looked so soft to Richie who wanted to reach up and caress it, nuzzle up against the unwounded side of his neck, and pamper Eddie, showing him, he cared. The only problem was that it would be considered queer. Richie just wanted something to make these pleasing thoughts go away, he wanted to think of Eddie as just a friend, but then he would think of Eddie’s smile. The white teeth, the sweet tongue, the tender lips that Richie wanted on his. All hope was lost for this bisexual to become completely straight.

“Eddie, my love,” Rich put an arm around Eddie and sighed in his ear, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing.” Eddie whimpered. He was obviously petrified, so Richie wasn’t falling for the ‘nothing’ lies.

“Be honest, Eds.” Richie drew him closer, and Eddie began to tremble in his arms. His whole body was quivering, along with his bottom lip. He was going to cry.

“D-don’t worry about… about it.” Then the tears fell. He began to sob and climbed in Richie’s lap, facing him. Richie was aware that Eddie’s groin was touching his and muscles he had never ever known about jumped. He grew excited and realized that Eddie might notice if his cock stiffened, but he began not to care because now he needed to calm Eddie down and find out the problem.

“Shh…” Richie cooed, “Tell me what’s upsetting you, Eddie. Maybe I can help.” Eddie shook his head and touched his smooth cheek to Richie’s. “Just tell me, puppy. Please.”

“S-Something happened yesterday…” he paused and let out another sharp sob. Then he leaned back so he could see Richie’s expression. It wasn’t malicious like Cooper’s, Richie looked calm and placid. Then his hand reached up to wipe the tears from the asthmatic’s eyes with his thumb. Eddie rested against his best friend again and the crying slowed.

This is Richie, and he loves you. A voice in Eddie’s head whispered. He also loved Richie. Very much. Tell him.

“I don’t know the word for it, but… I was out getting ice cream…” -the story began to flow from his lips like the water in the Kenduskeg- “I met a guy and we hung out for a day. His name was Cooper. He was about nineteen, I think, and by the end of the day, he… well… did something to me, Richie.” Eddie began to cry again.

“Hush, baby. It’s okay. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you any-“ then what the boy was really trying to say dawned on him. Eddie was… oh my god… Eddie was…did he… did he get… raped? Oh god. Richie’s stomach turned. “Eddie, love, did he… rape you?” He didn’t want to upset the smaller boy in front of him anymore, but Eddie needed to know the word.

“What does that mean, Rich?” Eddie’s voice was weak and powerless. It burned Richie’s heart, hearing his sweet Eddie Spaghetti sound like this.

“He had sex with you, and you didn’t want it.” Richie pushed Eddie’s head up off his shoulder and looked into his eyes, which were as big as the sun above them. Eddie gave an unsteady nod as more tears rolled down his face, but those were wiped away by the same gentle thumb. “God, precious, I’m sorry. Did you tell your mom?”

“No, I don’t want to get in trouble.” Eddie sniffed and wiped his eyes himself with the back of his hand. Another realization washed over Richie. Eddie thought it was his fault.

“No. Eddie. This is not your fault. Don’t think it is.” Richie’s voice grew harsh and Eddie cringed at it, so despite his anger at Cooper, he softened up. “We need to tell the police.”

“NO!” Eddie barked. He tried to pull away, but Richie was much stronger, and his grip on Eddie’s wrists held.

“Shhh…Eddie, my love…relax, I’m not going to hurt you or make you do anything you don’t want to. That includes going to the cops.” Eddie subsided again and nestled up against Richie and planted a warm kiss on his neck. It was Richie’s first neck kiss, and he knew soon enough one on the lips would follow, he just hoped it was soon.

Minutes later, Eddie was sound asleep. Now Richie just needed to tell the Losers.


	2. Eat it and Weep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie Kaspbrak is sick of his baby fat and decides to take things into his own hands. Richie has to tell him that what he's doing to himself... isn't good.

”It’s just baby fat, Eddie bear. Don’t worry!” His mother, Sonia Kaspbrak said at dinner that night. Eddie stared down at his plate in sorrow. If his mother were not going to help him then he would help himself. He wasn’t frightened too.

Eddie had been exercising with Ben Hanscom for the past month, Ben trying to lose his fat and Eddie doing the same. It was only just baby fat and there wasn’t much of it at all, but Eddie loathed it. He and his friends would go to the quarry and leap into the water sometimes, but lately, Eddie found himself more and more hesitant to take off his shirt. The other’s bodies around him were so slender -besides Ben- and Eddie was bitter, especially of Stanley Uris, who looked the best out of them all, body-type wise. He knew it was wrong to crave a different body, but that didn’t stop him.

The next morning Eddie avoided breakfast. It wasn’t bad. Just one meal, right? On Yom Kippur, Stan would go a whole day without food or water from sunset one day to sunset the next. He said it got effortless after a few years. Eddie could afford to miss out on one meal, but then he found himself too busy to eat at lunch, so he skipped that too. No biggie.

That first meal changed into many more meals afterward. He’d eat so little that he’d get lightheaded just standing up. He realized that he was delighted with himself for being so committed to the whole thing, unlike Ben, who ate three full-sized candy bars a day.

Eddie was shedding the baby fat. He was finally losing that extra weight. It was going away scarily fast, but Eddie didn’t mind. The faster the better, right? 

He eventually went for two days in a row without eating. His head throbbed and ached, his stomach stopped growling, he could barely stand up, but no more baby fat, right? 

It was a Saturday when this happened, so no school. Eddie told his mom that he was going up to his room to read, and she said she was going shopping, and that comment was followed by her accustomed “have a good day, don’t forget to keep your aspirator on you at all times, if you go out then bring a rain slicker because you never know if the weatherman may be wrong when he says no rain, don’t hang out with those nasty friends of yours and stay on the sidewalk.” Sonia Kaspbrak was always too worried.

Someone called, but Eddie didn’t pick up. He didn’t want to. He just laid, staring at the ceiling. Doing. Nothing. But. Starving. Suddenly, he heard a small clink of something hitting the window. He didn’t get up. Then another clink happened. Then another.

Clink, clink, clink, clink…

Eddie wanted to see what it was, but he could barely get up. There was no way that he was going to make it to the window and back to his soft, comfy, bed in one piece. Eventually, he heard voices. The Losers. There was a familiar stutter that said “M-M-Maybe he’s n-not huh-huh-home.” And then Ben said, “But his light is on.” The only thing pushing him up after that was a knocking sound. It was no longer the clinking of rocks being thrown, but someone had climbed the backyard tree and was right at the glass. He slowly turned his aching head and saw Richie Tozier. His fast heartbeat grew faster. 

Eddie cautiously swung his legs out of bed and dragged himself to the window. With all his energy he slid it open and tried to smile at Richie.

“Hey, Eds! What’s poppin’?” Then his face grew slightly more apprehensive. “Are you sick? Did we interrupt a nap?”

“No, I’m not sick. Come on in.” Eddie replied, and Richie half climbed, half fell into the room. Then he stood up and walked over to the smaller boy, who was looking even smaller than ever.

“You look awful, no offense, but you do.” Richie carefully looked Eddie over with his glasses covered eyes and the corners of his mouth turned down ever so slightly. “Did you lose weight?” 

It was working, Richie noticed. Oh, but the pain in his stomach. 

It’s worth it. Eddie reminded himself.

“Yeah, I have.”

“Why?”

“Because I was fat.”

Richie looked at Eddie like he was crazy. Then he pulled the boy into his arms with a single sweep. Eddie groaned since the pain was eating at him more and more with every move he made, and once again Richie gave him a funny look.

“You aren’t fat, Eddie,” Richie said simply.

“Yeah, I was.” Eddie didn’t want to fight. As Richie held him, Eddie felt the strength start to leave his legs and he started to slip. Richie caught him before he fell backward and hit the floor, and with a groan, he knelt to the floor with Eddie still in his arms. 

“Eddie!” Richie exclaimed, looking at this boy he held like he was an abused puppy. “When’s the last time you’ve eaten?”

“Uh… what day is it? I think it was Thursday.” Eddie’s voice was so weak that it practically floated through the air like a

(balloon)

whisper in the wind. Richie’s face instantly changed as he fell into a panic. Eddie was starving himself. Either that or his bitch of a mother was doing it to him. If anything, his mother should be overfeeding him so he could “stay healthy and strong” as she would say. 

“Why? Is this because you think your fat, Eds?” Richie whispered. Eddie nodded faintly. “Did your mother do this? Is she home?”

“No, and n-no.” 

“Baby, you were never fat. Ever. Don’t lie to yourself like this.” Richie took a deep inhale, prepared to tell the boy with the freckled cheeks, the sweetest smile, and the brightest eyes how he really felt.

“Eddie, you have some weaknesses -hell, everyone does- but you are still the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you for your germophobic ways, your wheezing, your adorable baby fat, those cocoa eyes, and everything in between. So, don’t makeup shit about yourself just because you think you aren’t good enough. You are the way you are, and that’s why you’re my Eddie Spaghetti.”

Eddie’s eyes brightened and his face went red with a beautiful blush. He didn’t even notice that his own face was getting hot, because he was so busy gazing into Richie’s eyes. They were magnified because of his glasses, but they were still amazingly breathtaking and they made Eddie’s asthma startup.

“Let’s go get you some food, puppy,” Richie whispered again. 

“But Richie? Did you just say you loved me?” Eddie asked in a low voice. Richie looked away deciding if it was okay to tell him, and since it seemed to be okay, he said: 

“I’ve been flirting with you since we were nine, and now you notice?” Richie laughed and pinched Eddie’s cheek softly. Eddie managed a giggle and reached up to touch Richie’s cheek too. Rich smiled as sweetly as sugar. “I love you.”

“I think I love you too.” 

The Losers were calling out, but neither of them noticed. They were too busy. Richie helped Eddie up off the floor and put an arm around Eddie’s spindly frame, holding him up. Together they walked to the door and just before they went down the stairs Richie kissed Eddie’s cheek and whispered:

“Careful, Eds. You get hurt than me and your ma may have a fit.”


	3. Photobooth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new mall just opened in Derry and the Losers are excited. Things don't go as planned when Richie and Eddie end up in a photo booth together, but it get better than planned.

The Losers were having a pretty good day, despite what had just happened with Eddie’s mother. Once again, they were hated on by Sonia Kaspbrak, and she called Stan a “Jew boy”, Beverly a “Dirty Bitch”, Mike a “n*****”, Bill a “Stuttering Freak”, Richie a “Loudmouth”, and Ben wasn’t insulted, because the only thing that was wrong with him was that he was fat. Sonia was as large as a fucking Mac Truck, so she couldn’t say shit about Ben  
.   
The Losers had gone to pick up Eddie from his house, but Eddie had a minor headache earlier in the day. Sonia didn’t want him going in case he was ill, but Eddie said the aspirin had kicked in and he was fine. Sonia freaked out and Eddie snapped. He started yelling at his mother, saying that he didn’t need her controlling his life, and banning him from seeing his friends wasn’t going to do anything because “your words aren’t the law, ma”. Lately, the asthmatic had been fighting back at his mom and Miss Kaspbrak thought that it was his friend's faults, but it was just Eddie wanting and needing to see Richie Tozier.

Richie was Eddie’s, only love. He’d never really had a crush on anyone besides Richie, and Richie was a boy, so telling anyone was not an option. The boy in the glasses, the Trashmouth, the jokester of the group, would never notice weak, small, wheezing Eddie, and he was obviously straight. No question. But I guess he’d never know for sure. Just because Richie looked at girl porn in magazines didn’t mean he was straight, right? Eddie sure as hell thought it did. But maybe Richie might have feelings for just Eddie. As I said, he’d never know.

After the gang picked up Eddie and fought with his mom, they all biked to the mall. A new mall had just opened in Derry, and they were excited to visit. Richie wanted it to be like the Mall of America in Minnesota, with rides and all that junk, but to his disappointment, it appeared just to be a normal, huge looking, mall. 

“Cue ‘Material Girl’ much?” Richie said in awe as they saw what lay behind those doors. 

It was even bigger on the inside. People were bustling everywhere with arms full of shopping bags, the ceiling had a massive skylight that lit up the whole entrance, water fountains were spraying merrily, teenagers were eating in the food court and probably gossiping about how so-and-so named Becky crashed that huge party at so-and-so’s house last night, there were also colors. Everywhere. Neon signs, bright clothing, and even colorful hair. 

Stan realized that he had never seen this much color in one spot in his life. It stunned him for a second and he felt a hand close around his arm. He turned his head to see Bill looking just as amazed, his mouth agape. Stan looked down at the hand and back up at Big Bill, who broke out of his daze and looked at the boy he was holding onto. Stan felt his face grow red and Bill shot him a small but beautiful smile. They were both oddly embarrassed and Bill let go.

No one noticed the two boys and their exchange. They were too occupied staring and pointing at every store they spotted. 

“Look! A Rainforest Café!” Bev cheered. “Ben, you are going there with me later. No arguments.”

“I wanna go too!” Richie jumped up and down like a little girl getting a pony for her birthday. Eddie groaned. He loved Richie, but oh, you kid.

Without a word, Beverly grabbed Ben and Mike’s hands and dragged them away.

“Come on, Eds, I’se is gonna make youse so pretty that your old self is gonna think it was made of the body parts of Jeffery Dahmer’s victims.” Richie grabbed Eddie’s shoulder and dragged him in the opposite direction of Ben, Bev, and Mike.

Bill and Stanley looked at each other again and Stan’s face turned a deeper red, he whispered, “It’s just you and me, I guess.”

“Y-Yeah. It is.” Bill and Stan moved away from the doorway and went quiet for a minute.

“What do you want to do?” Stan said, breaking their silence. Bill looked up and stared into Stan’s eyes. He wasn’t about to let this time they had alone go to waste.  
“Let’s go luh-luh-look a-around,” Bill replied, and gently grabbed his hand and slipped his fingers into Stan’s. Stan nodded and then smiled. It was a radiant one that Bill felt touch his soul. Bill smiled back and off they went.

.....................

“Hey, Eddie, look,” Richie said unenthusiastically. Eddie was being stubborn and refusing to try anything on, which was upsetting Rich. He wanted to do something with Eddie that day, and he wasn’t leaving the mall until he got his wish. “I found a new fanny pack for you.”

“I don’t want it,” Eddie grumbled. He was sitting cross-legged on a bench outside of the changing rooms at some brightly colored store he didn’t even know the name to, arms folded over his thin chest, and bottom lip stuck out in a slight pout. Richie looked around for any adults and then he bent down, tilted Eddie’s chin up, and put his forehead to the small boys.

“I will make you, senor,” Richie whispered in his Vanilla Pancho Voice as he looked into Eddie’s eyes. Eddie froze in place. “I’se will make you buy sometheeng while we are heer.”

“I- I don’t want anything, Rich.” Eddie lowered his voice to match Richie’s tone, but he still sounded baby-ish. Richie leaned back to get a better look at Eddie.

“Give me your honest opinion, Eds. I wanna have fun today.” 

“Fine, lay it on me.” Eddie attempted to make his voice sound bored and slightly annoyed, but he had little success. He just sounded slightly pleased.

After Richie got Eddie’s opinion on the fanny pack, and some shirts, they left with only one bag, fanny pack secretly in it along with Richie’s items. 

They sat down on a bench outside another store.

“Can I get your opinion on some other stuff?” Richie asked, putting the bag down on the floor and tucking his legs up to his chin. Eddie crossed his legs and then uncrossed them, scooted around a little, and then copied Richie’s position. Rich smiled.

“What?” Eddie looked at his friend. 

“Who do you love?” 

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Eddie stared at the people passing by in front of him but without really seeing them. He was thinking. What should he tell Richie? Lie or truth? Should he cover up his feelings about Richie, cover up his sexuality, or cover up both? He really couldn’t convey his feelings for Richie without admitting he’s gay, so it looks like he could either tell the whole thing or none of it at all. Eddie decided to cover it up.

“No one, really.” He replied, voice breaking. Richie frowned.

“No boy, no girl? Nobody at all?” 

“Nope-“ then Eddie stiffened. Did he just say, boy or girl? Was Richie okay with it? A million questions raced through the boy’s head at once. Why was Richie asking this anyway? Why did Richie get so close to Eddie like that when they were shopping? How the hell could this boy not be straight? What the hell was going on? 

“Are you sure?” Richie asked sliding closer. Eddie felt a familiar pressure in his chest as his asthma took hold. 

“I don’t know.” Eddie tried to sigh, but his tightened throat wouldn’t let him. He put his legs down and unzipped the black fanny pack around his waist, grabbing his aspirator and then triggering it in his mouth. Richie smiled.

“Tell me, Eds,” Richie whispered, straightening out and then leaning over to put his chin on Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie hung his head.

“No,” Eddie mumbled looking at his lap.

“At least tell me your sexuality,” Richie whined, and out of the corner of Eddie’s eye, he could see Richie pout. Sexuality?

“I…I like…I guess…I guess I like…” A long pause ensued. 

“It’s okay, Eddie. You can like whoever, and if you’re questioning then tell me.”

Eddie tried to glance at the boy on his shoulder, but he couldn’t. He wanted to get out of this situation and fast. Then he saw a photobooth. It was standing unoccupied a few yards away, and he thought that it would at least give them some privacy, if not a diversion. 

“Let’s go to that booth over there.” Eddie jolted to his feet so fast that Richie’s head was slammed back into the wall from the slender shoulder it was resting on.

“Ow, okay, geez.” Richie massaged the back of his head with one hand and then grasped Eddie’s wrist with the other. Eddie tried to pull away, but Richie’s grip intensified.

Eddie’s face went pale, he had just invited this possibly abusive boy to sit alone with him in a photobooth. Finally, Richie grabbed the shopping bag, and together the two boys ran.

What the hell were you thinking? A voice screamed at Eddie. It was his own mind panicking. You just said, ‘Let’s go sit in a lonely box so you can do whatever the hell you want to me!’

They reached the booth and Richie turned to look at Eddie, seeing how uneasy he was, he gently placed a hand on Eddie’s back and gave him a soft push. Eddie drew the curtain aside and stepped in, Richie following suit. Then Rich closed the curtain.

“So? Are you gonna tell me, now?” 

“No, I’m straight, okay?” Eddie muttered under his breath and turned his attention to the screen in front of him. If they were in there, they might as well get pictures, right? 

“Aww… come on, Eds.” Richie reached over to pinch Eddie’s cheek, but Eddie slapped his hand away. His headache from earlier was forming again, this time in the back of his head.

“Don’t you dare pinch my cheeks and don—” Eddie was abruptly cut off by pressure against his lips. 

At first, he wasn’t comprehending what was happening, but then it gradually kicked in. Richie was kissing him, but ever so lightly. It couldn’t have been much firmer than a whisper in the wind. Their mouths just barely touched, but then Eddie melted into it, so it became stronger and steadier. Everything around them ceased to exist and it was just two boys in a photobooth, kissing, trying to figure their shit out. All that pain caused by the reforming headache was swept away, like Georgie’s boat years earlier.

No one needed to know but them, and it never needed to happen again unless they wanted it to, and no one should care. Except for them. It was no longer a 'you and I' situation. It was now ‘we’ and ‘they’. 

Richie touched his tongue to Eddie’s mouth as if asking for permission, and Eddie – curious as he was— let it slip by. He began to explore every bit of Eddie’s mouth that his tongue could reach, including the back of his throat. A tentative hand clenched the hem of Richie’s shirt and pulled him closer. Eddie moved his tongue with Richie’s, and they tried that because they knew it would work beautifully. Then Eddie’s stomach took a huge leap like it just jumped into the water off the quarry, but that sensation of flying didn’t die down.

Stan’s birds popped into his head and they flew there for a minute.

That first red cardinal of the year, and how it meant winter was over, the ice was melting, and the sun was returning. A blue jay sitting in a tree, with nothing but lush green leaves behind it. A hummingbird in search of flowers to suckle, its tiny wings flitting as it darted from one place to the next. An eagle hunting for a mouse to eat, as the kids on a school bus point out how it was circling the sky, but never understanding why that bird they just spotted was so important to them. And a crow, eating from the crops at Mike Hanlon’s farm, not frightened of the scarecrows, but frightened of the moose blowers on top of them.

A cold breeze touched his back and it was followed by a warm hand. Fingers were sliding up his shirt and that brought Eddie back to reality. They were in a disgusting photobooth for heaven's sake, anyone could open it at any minute.

“’Chee, stop.” Eddie put a hand on Richie’s chest and pushed him away. “Let’s leave it at that.” 

As they left the booth, Eddie noticed something. That bench they sat on was outside of more than just a store. It was an LGBTQ store with more rainbow items than they could count. Richie had this planned all along. A sense of serenity washed over the freckled boy and he slipped his hand into his lovers.


End file.
